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UTMM
Student Newspaper of the University of Southern California Since 1912
Reigning NCAA champion Dewi-Claire Schreefel is now front and center for the women’s golf team. 20
www.dailytrojan.com
October 18,2006
Vol. CLIX, No. 40
Prop ad
credential
questioned
SC economist accused of attributing a nonexistent title, misleading affiliation in a No on Proposition 87 advertisement.
By JOHN LEGITTINO
Staff Writer
A well-known USC economist came under scrutiny Monday for what has been referred to as a misleading credential in a popular campaign commercial against Proposition 87, a $4-billion California oil tax initiative.
Professor Charles Cicchetti, holder of the Jeffrey J. Miller Chair in Government, Business and the Economy, and spokespeople from the No on 87 campaign deny the charge and say its timing — three weeks before Nov. 7, when voters decide on the legislation — proves the accusation is nothing more than an attempt for political gain by those in favor of the proposition.
The accusation was made public Monday by spokespeople for EDF, an organization that aids in solving economic problems.
In a public letter, EDF requested television station managers, oil executives and No on 87 campaign directors to stop airing the advertisement which quotes Cicchetti as a professor of environmental economics at USC and the company’s “former chief economist.”
EDF said Cicchetti never held the position, impart because the position did not exist during his time there more than 30 years ago, which it called “brief.”
So far, no media organizations or recipients of the letter have responded to or agreed to remove the advertisement.
"This claim is false for several reasons, including that Mr. Cicchetti was never the chief economist of EDF, and it is misleading as EDF supports the passage of ProDosition 87.” wrote Tom Graff, the organization's
I see Position, page 12
"This is a big, vicious political game. There are hundreds of other economists in the ad saying the same thing and he is a respected economic voice, and we're happy to have him on the campaign. ”
SCOTT MACDONALD communication director No on 87
Native Rights.
Rigoberta Menchu Turn (right), a 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner and Guatemalan exile speaks at Bovard Auditorium Tuesday night. Menchu Turn worked as an activist, campaigning against human rights violations committed by the Guatemalan armed forces during the country's civil war from 1960 to 1996. after both parents, two brothers, a sister-in-law and three nieces and nephews were killed by Guatemalan security forces.
Guatemalan exile on campus
Joseph Zuniga I Daily Trojan
USG urges lower cost for meal plans
Campaign to change meal plans focuses on value, variety and restrictions.
By TOREY VAN OOT
Staff Writer
Undergraduate Student Government hosted its second town hall meeting Tuesday night to gather student feedback on improving meal plans in the areas of value, variety and restrictions.
Coined this year as the “Meal Plan Coalition,” the reform is a perennial popular platform during USG elections. Residential Senator Max Slavkin called the meal plan reform “the Holy Grail of student govern-
ment.” Although TrojanHospitality officials say efforts have been made to improve options, such as extending hours and allowing for students to use their meals at both campus residential dining halls during certain hours, many students say they still think more should be done.
Both USG and University Residential Student Community have worked separately to improve meal plans in the past, and this year they decided to “band together to effect change,” co-sponsoring an online survey on meal plans, URSC Vice President for Advocacy Paul Jansson said.
“We’ve noticed in the past (USC and URSC) administration ... we’ve heard meal plans are an issue,” he
said. "We haven’t really seen the results students want to see.”
Several committees within URSC and USG have been working together with TrojanHospitality to explore options on improving plans.
“One of the big things that we’re not sure we can do too much about is (meal ^plans are) just too expensive,” Jansson said. “The fact that Trojan Plan is approaching $3,000 per semester is just ridiculous.” About one-third of students who have the Cardinal Plan and 22 percent of Trojan Plan holders classify their value as poor or. terrible, according to preliminary survey results.
The survey, with 977 responses, will be accessible online through
I see Meeting, page 11 I
About one-third of students who have Cardinal Plan and 22 percent of Trojan Plan holders classify their value as poor or terrible, according to a recent survey.
Senate announces new special elections winners
By TOREY VAN OOT
Staff Writer
Candice Borromeo and Max Mullen were announced Tuesday night as the winners of the Undergraduate Student Government special elections.
Borromeo. a sophomore majoring in public relations, and Mullen, a senior majoring in business administration, will be confirmed as new commuter senators next week, Co-Director of Elections and Recruitment Matthew Heins said.
The special elections took place last week to replace commuter senator vacancies created when two senators resigned because of academic conflicts earlier this fall. Four candidates ran to fill the two open spots.
A total of 121 legitimate ballots
and 210 votes were cast in the two-day elections, according to the unofficial election results.
Although about 5 percent of commuters voted in the election. Heins said Elections and Recruitment is optimistic about the turnout because it was proportional to the numbers of candidates and students affected by results from the regular elections held in February.
In last year's regular elections about 430 commuters voted to elect senators in five spots, Co-Director of Elections and Recruitment Andrea Schwartz said.
Senator-elect Mullen said that although he is happy he won, the importance of mobilizing the commuter population around campus issues, including elections, is illustrated bv the voter turnout results.
Wrap yourself around some delicious Korean barbecue atShik Do Rak.7
Bike thefts increase by nearly 50 percent this year
DPS officers fail to curb bicycles thefts despite new student policies.
By KAELYN F0RDE ECKENRODE
Staff Writer
Despite bike registration policies and new impounding practices, Department of Public Safety officials said Tuesday that they have failed to curb bike thefts, which have increased bv 49 percent this year.
“We haven't stopped bike thefts," said ( apt. Gloria Graham, DPS captain of operations.
“We need to do more, blit we have limited resources."
As of Tuesday, 339 bikes had been stolen since Jan. 1, 111 more bikes than during the same period in 200"].
“Bikes have become a status symbol,” Graham said.
“You buy your beach cruiser with the basket on it, you learn how to ride it while you're talking on the phone in one ear and listening to vour iPod in the other.
“Eliminating bikes on campus solves a lot of these issues,” Graham said.
"No bikes make it easier for people in w'heelchairs to enter buildings. Students park their bikes at the door and block wheelchair eccess. Bikes get stolen. We need a more pedestrian-friendly campus, and that would curb thefts," she said.
Some students said they have also noticed bike theft has become more frequent this year.
“This is my fourth bike this year,” said Justin Wally, a senior majoring I see Thefts, page 12

UTMM
Student Newspaper of the University of Southern California Since 1912
Reigning NCAA champion Dewi-Claire Schreefel is now front and center for the women’s golf team. 20
www.dailytrojan.com
October 18,2006
Vol. CLIX, No. 40
Prop ad
credential
questioned
SC economist accused of attributing a nonexistent title, misleading affiliation in a No on Proposition 87 advertisement.
By JOHN LEGITTINO
Staff Writer
A well-known USC economist came under scrutiny Monday for what has been referred to as a misleading credential in a popular campaign commercial against Proposition 87, a $4-billion California oil tax initiative.
Professor Charles Cicchetti, holder of the Jeffrey J. Miller Chair in Government, Business and the Economy, and spokespeople from the No on 87 campaign deny the charge and say its timing — three weeks before Nov. 7, when voters decide on the legislation — proves the accusation is nothing more than an attempt for political gain by those in favor of the proposition.
The accusation was made public Monday by spokespeople for EDF, an organization that aids in solving economic problems.
In a public letter, EDF requested television station managers, oil executives and No on 87 campaign directors to stop airing the advertisement which quotes Cicchetti as a professor of environmental economics at USC and the company’s “former chief economist.”
EDF said Cicchetti never held the position, impart because the position did not exist during his time there more than 30 years ago, which it called “brief.”
So far, no media organizations or recipients of the letter have responded to or agreed to remove the advertisement.
"This claim is false for several reasons, including that Mr. Cicchetti was never the chief economist of EDF, and it is misleading as EDF supports the passage of ProDosition 87.” wrote Tom Graff, the organization's
I see Position, page 12
"This is a big, vicious political game. There are hundreds of other economists in the ad saying the same thing and he is a respected economic voice, and we're happy to have him on the campaign. ”
SCOTT MACDONALD communication director No on 87
Native Rights.
Rigoberta Menchu Turn (right), a 1992 Nobel Peace Prize winner and Guatemalan exile speaks at Bovard Auditorium Tuesday night. Menchu Turn worked as an activist, campaigning against human rights violations committed by the Guatemalan armed forces during the country's civil war from 1960 to 1996. after both parents, two brothers, a sister-in-law and three nieces and nephews were killed by Guatemalan security forces.
Guatemalan exile on campus
Joseph Zuniga I Daily Trojan
USG urges lower cost for meal plans
Campaign to change meal plans focuses on value, variety and restrictions.
By TOREY VAN OOT
Staff Writer
Undergraduate Student Government hosted its second town hall meeting Tuesday night to gather student feedback on improving meal plans in the areas of value, variety and restrictions.
Coined this year as the “Meal Plan Coalition,” the reform is a perennial popular platform during USG elections. Residential Senator Max Slavkin called the meal plan reform “the Holy Grail of student govern-
ment.” Although TrojanHospitality officials say efforts have been made to improve options, such as extending hours and allowing for students to use their meals at both campus residential dining halls during certain hours, many students say they still think more should be done.
Both USG and University Residential Student Community have worked separately to improve meal plans in the past, and this year they decided to “band together to effect change,” co-sponsoring an online survey on meal plans, URSC Vice President for Advocacy Paul Jansson said.
“We’ve noticed in the past (USC and URSC) administration ... we’ve heard meal plans are an issue,” he
said. "We haven’t really seen the results students want to see.”
Several committees within URSC and USG have been working together with TrojanHospitality to explore options on improving plans.
“One of the big things that we’re not sure we can do too much about is (meal ^plans are) just too expensive,” Jansson said. “The fact that Trojan Plan is approaching $3,000 per semester is just ridiculous.” About one-third of students who have the Cardinal Plan and 22 percent of Trojan Plan holders classify their value as poor or. terrible, according to preliminary survey results.
The survey, with 977 responses, will be accessible online through
I see Meeting, page 11 I
About one-third of students who have Cardinal Plan and 22 percent of Trojan Plan holders classify their value as poor or terrible, according to a recent survey.
Senate announces new special elections winners
By TOREY VAN OOT
Staff Writer
Candice Borromeo and Max Mullen were announced Tuesday night as the winners of the Undergraduate Student Government special elections.
Borromeo. a sophomore majoring in public relations, and Mullen, a senior majoring in business administration, will be confirmed as new commuter senators next week, Co-Director of Elections and Recruitment Matthew Heins said.
The special elections took place last week to replace commuter senator vacancies created when two senators resigned because of academic conflicts earlier this fall. Four candidates ran to fill the two open spots.
A total of 121 legitimate ballots
and 210 votes were cast in the two-day elections, according to the unofficial election results.
Although about 5 percent of commuters voted in the election. Heins said Elections and Recruitment is optimistic about the turnout because it was proportional to the numbers of candidates and students affected by results from the regular elections held in February.
In last year's regular elections about 430 commuters voted to elect senators in five spots, Co-Director of Elections and Recruitment Andrea Schwartz said.
Senator-elect Mullen said that although he is happy he won, the importance of mobilizing the commuter population around campus issues, including elections, is illustrated bv the voter turnout results.
Wrap yourself around some delicious Korean barbecue atShik Do Rak.7
Bike thefts increase by nearly 50 percent this year
DPS officers fail to curb bicycles thefts despite new student policies.
By KAELYN F0RDE ECKENRODE
Staff Writer
Despite bike registration policies and new impounding practices, Department of Public Safety officials said Tuesday that they have failed to curb bike thefts, which have increased bv 49 percent this year.
“We haven't stopped bike thefts," said ( apt. Gloria Graham, DPS captain of operations.
“We need to do more, blit we have limited resources."
As of Tuesday, 339 bikes had been stolen since Jan. 1, 111 more bikes than during the same period in 200"].
“Bikes have become a status symbol,” Graham said.
“You buy your beach cruiser with the basket on it, you learn how to ride it while you're talking on the phone in one ear and listening to vour iPod in the other.
“Eliminating bikes on campus solves a lot of these issues,” Graham said.
"No bikes make it easier for people in w'heelchairs to enter buildings. Students park their bikes at the door and block wheelchair eccess. Bikes get stolen. We need a more pedestrian-friendly campus, and that would curb thefts," she said.
Some students said they have also noticed bike theft has become more frequent this year.
“This is my fourth bike this year,” said Justin Wally, a senior majoring I see Thefts, page 12